BRICK HOUSE | “EVELYN’S” PINOT NOIR 2014
(Ribbon Ridge, Willamette Valley, OR) $68 (750ml)
Deep, earthy and luscious are three of the best things a pinot noir can be, and “Evelyn’s” from Brick House is all of them. The wine (named in honor of the winemaker’s mother) reminds me of the intoxicating smell of warm sun on damp potting soil. But there’s so much more too: spices, tea and the savory juices of roasted meats. It’s one long, slow climb of intrigue on the palate. Brick House, an early pioneer in the Willamette Valley, is a small family operation making delicious artisanal wines from biodynamic vineyards. (14.1% abv)
94 points KM
Available at Brick House
One of the few DOCG wines from Italy’s southern provinces is:
- A. Carmignano
- B. Taurasi
- C. Rubesco
- D. Arneis
Scroll down for the answer!
“In Spain, no matter if you make screwdrivers, at some point after you have saved a little money, the first thing you want to do is own a winery. It is very important to the Spanish soul”
—Yolanda Carcía Viadero, winemaker, Bodegas Valduero
YOU SAY TINTO; I SAY TINTA
As many drinkers of Ribera del Duero wines know, the main grape variety, tempranillo, is, somewhat confusingly, called both tinta del país and tinto fino. Why? Historically, locals referred to these simple wines (and the grapes they were made from) as tinta del país—“red [wine] of the land.” As time went on and higher-quality wines were made in Ribera del Duero, the term tinto fino—“fine red”—was increasingly used to describe both the wines and the grapes.
THE BEST SIMPLE WHITE?
“We think grillo (GREE-yo) will be the next pinot grigio.” That was Antonio Rallo talking. Rallo is the winemaker and the CEO of Sicily’s Donnafugata winery and an expert on indigenous Sicilian varieties. Grillo, he says is one of the best simple white wines no one has ever heard of….Continue Reading
BENTONITE
A type of light clay, mixed into wine to clarify it by removing tiny suspended protein molecules that can cause a hazy appearance. As the bentonite settles, it absorbs and carries the particles suspended in the wine along with it to the bottom of the vessel. The clear wine is then racked off the settled material.
B.Taurasi, a DOCG in Campania, is full-bodied red produced from the aglianico grape. Almost blackish in color and with fascinating bitter chocolate, leather and tar aromas and flavors, Taurasi is noted for its capacity to age.
